The Kenya Tourism Board is to hire a roster of PR firms to promote the country as a tourism destination worldwide.

The organisation is accepting separate applications from agencies seeking to represent it in areas including the US, China, Europe, India and the Middle East. Separate submissions are required for each region, according to the request for proposal.

The winning firms will be charged with conducting trade awareness activities, such as organising workshops, seminars, events and tours of Kenya for groups including journalists.

The agencies will also be responsible for circulating positive publicity about the country from the perspective of commercial visitors and tourists. The agencies will be required to organise press conferences in select major markets to create a positive image of the country abroad.

The tourism board said that interested firms cannot represent other African destinations, including islands in the Indian Ocean. The deadline to apply is 25 February.

In 2011, 1.26 million people visited the country, compared with 1.1 million the year before, according to Kenya tourism ministry data. Full-year figures for 2012 have yet to be released, but officials expect a drop in visits due to concerns with regard to Islamist violence and the cost of landing rights.

A representative from the Kenya Tourism Board could not be immediately reached for comment.